How the Democrats Spun Victory from the Jaws of Debate Defeat

The consensus among pundits was that Obama did poorly in the debate Wednesday night, so Democrats had to find a way to "polish that turd," as Jon Stewart explained last night on The Daily Show. One strategy: Redefine Obama's lethargy to be "dignified reserve," as Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland said. "Yes, it was dignified reserve," Stewart said. "A lady doesn't debate." Or you could go for the other guy. David Plouffe, Obama's senior adviser, said Romney was aggressive and may have come off as "a little testy" to viewers. Stewart: "Yeah, I think you misheard. I think the folks at home were saying 'It looks like only one guy up there has testes'."